The Ballad of Auron
by Shen's General
Summary: My submission to MyWayWriter's 'What are Friends For: Original Character Contest', A short tragic tale of how a penguin came to become one of an infamous singing group. OC-Centric. WARNING: Curses, Fluff, and Tragic Moment. REMAKE CHAPTER POSTED!
1. The Infamous Ballad

**Happy Feet**

_**'The Ballad of Auron'**_

**by Shen's General**

**A/N: Hey there Happy Feet fans, I am Shen's General, I became a member of this great site nearly two months ago. As to why I am writing this fic, I had heard that MyWayWriter was having a contest and was accepting OCs for his upcoming story, so I decided to try out. This is mainly a OC-centric story and won't have anyone from the movie. So, MyWayWriter and all the other judges of the contest, enjoy this story...WARNING: This story has a few curses, a slightly intimate (not M-Rated) moment, and a tragic moment, thus leading the OC to the White Ones.**

**I do not own Happy Feet.**

**I do not own the songs within this story.**

**Note: The bold face words within song lyrics are when they hit a high note or something.**

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The Infamous Ballad

Within the far arctic reaches of Antartica, there were many colonies of Emperor Penguins as they lived their lives the way they usually do, a chick is born, they are taught the art of heartsong as they try to discover their own, when they are of age, they sing that heartsong as they try to find the one who heartsong was in sync with theirs. When they do, they mate, and thus the cycle of life repeats. This story was no different for a Emperor Penguin couple, as they were hanging out on a floating block of ice a good distance from their colony.

Auron, the male equivalent of the couple, was just your average penguin, he lived with his mom and dad for as long as he remember, and was taught about heartsongs and all that jazz. However, when Auron did learn how to sing, he did it in style, as he had a good voice for every song he could think of, and luckily, it caught the eyes of a fellow student, Claire, as she fell in love with his voice and his personality, which was that of a happy-go-lucky penguin. So, when the day of mating season had came, everyone knew clear well that those two were meant for each other...it all began with Auron's voice.

**(Cue the song, Lips of an Angel by Hinder...this is considered Auron's heartsong)**

**Auron:**

_"Honey, why are you calling me, so late? Kinda hard to talk right now."_

_"Honey, why you crying? Is everything OK? I gotta whisper cause I can't be too loud."_

_"Oh, well, my girl's in the next room, sometimes I wish she was you, I guess we never really move on."_

_"It's really good to hear your voice, sayin' my name, it's sound so sweet!"_

_"Comin' from a lips of an angel, hearin' those words, it makes me weak!"_

_"Lay down, never wanna say goodbye, but girl you make it hard to be faithful...with the lips of an angel..."_

This attracted the attention of the other penguins, as his voice had a deep, nice tone to it. However, on the other side of the mating ceremony, an attractive female penguin was coming his way, as she began singing.

**(Cue the song Perfect by Pink, the clean version)**

**Claire:**

_"Made a wrong turn once or twice, dug my way out of blood and fire, bad decision, it's all right, welcome to my silly life."_

_"Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood, miss 'no way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down."_

_"Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated, look, I'm still around"_

_"Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel, like you're less than, less than perfect,"_

_"Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel, like you're nothing, you are perfect to me..."_

Claire finished her verse as she closed her face with Auron. The male penguin smirked as he continued with his song,

**Auron:**

_"It's funny that you're calling me tonight, and yes, I dreamt of you, too,"_

_"And does he know you're talking to me? Will it start a fight? No, I don't think she has a clue."_

The female then continued with her song, (**I don't know how well Hinder and Pink would go together, but please bear with me**)

**Claire:**

_"You're so mean, when you talk, about yourself, you are wrong, change the voices, in your head, make them like you, instead,"_

_"So complicated, look happy, you'll make it, filled with so much hatred, such a tired game."_

_"It's enough, I've done all I can think of, chased down all my demons, I'll see you do the same."_

_"Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel, like you're less than, less than perfect,"_

_"Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel, like you're nothing, you are perfect to me..."_

Then Auron continued with his song, (**We skip the rapping part of Pink's song**)

**Auron:**

_"Oh, well, my girl's in the next room, sometimes I wish she was you, I guess we never really move on."_

_"It's really good to hear your voice, sayin' my name, it's sound so sweet!"_

_"Comin' from a lips of an angel, hearin' those words, it makes me weak!"_

_"Lay down, never wanna say goodbye, but girl you make it hard to be faithful...with the lips of an angel..."_

And with a spin and swoop, he swung Claire down and gave her a deep kiss in the beak, as they look at each other with loving eyes, as they were earning cheers from the other penguins, and with a nod, they continuing singing in sync, while doing a beautiful dance together

**Auron:**

_"It's really good to hear your voice, sayin' my name, it's sound so sweet."_

_"Comin' from a lips of an angel, hearin' those words, it makes me weak!"_

**Claire:**

_"Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel, like you're less than, less than perfect,"_

**Auron:**

_"Lay down, never wanna say goodbye, but girl you make it hard to be faithful..."_

**Claire:**

_"Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel, like you're nothing, you are __**perfect**__ to me!_"

**Auron:**

_"__**With the lips of an angel!**__"_

**Claire:**

_"You're perfect, You're__** perfect**__...to me!"_

**Auron:**

_"Lay down, never wanna say goodbye, but girl you make it hard to be faithful..."_

**Claire:**

_"Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel, like you're nothing, you are perfect..."_

**Auron & Claire:**

_"With the lips of an angel (...to me)"_

The beautiful mixture of the two songs earned numerous applauses as the two lovebirds nuzzled each other, as they both went off to a place somewhere only they know... (**See what I did there?**)

Which led them to now, as the two penguins were now embracing each other on a piece of ice,

"I got to said, Auron, that was beautiful." Claire smiled.

"Oh, I doubt it was that extraordinary. You were already captivating the audiences with your singing...not to mention good looks." Auron complimented with a wink.

"Auron..." Claire blushed, as she gave a nuzzle to Auron.

That nuzzle then turned to a passionate kiss, as the adult male then flipped on top of her and their kiss began very heated, as Auron bit her neck affectionately and Claire buried hers into the croon of his neck. However, the female got a devious smile, as she then pushed him off and with a wink, went off into the water.

Auron gave a challenging smirk, "Damn, how I love that woman..." as he dives after her.

Soon, the male penguin was within the waters as he searched for his to-be mate.

"Oh, Claire...where are you?" Auron asked in a sing-songy voice.

Then, he heard a scream as Claire swam past him in fear,

"Claire?" The male emperor penguin asked, confused by her actions, when he turned around and his blood froze...a leopard seal was coming his way.

"Oh shit!" Auron cursed as he swam after Claire.

Soon, he was neck and neck with Claire as they were both running from the menacing seal, but unforunately, they were coming to a dead end which was a small cliff.

"Oh god! We're going to die!" Claire screeched as the seal was charging at them.

"No we're not! We're going to have to jump!" Auron ordered as they both went low and at the last possible moment, the two sped straight up out of the water to the top of the cliff.

Auron fortunately made it, but Claire wasn't so lucky, as she landed part way, and started to slip down.

"AURON!" Claire screeched,

"CLAIRE!" Auron screamed, as he then jumped for Claire's flippers, while down at the water, the leopard seal began trying to climb up the cliff.

However, there was no rest for bad luck, as Auron himself began to slip along with her.

Seeing how bad their situation was, Claire then turned to Auron with teary eyes, "Auron, love, you have to let go! I can''t drag you down with me..."

"NO! I REFUSE TO LOSE YOU! WE'RE MATES, GOD DAMN IT! I CAN'T!" Auron screamed, as tears streamed down his face.

"Auron..." Claire sadly smiled, as the leopard seal began jumping once more, "I'm sorry..." and with that, she let go, as she fell into the waters below...

"CLAIRE! NO!" Auron screeched, as all of the sudden, the leopard seal jumps far up and smashes the part of the cliff, as ice splintered everywhere, as one of the shards scarred his left eye, and he was knocked unconscious...

A few hours later, the penguin began to wake up, as he gripped his head, and grunted in pain as the scar on his left eye began to burn. Then, he remember his mate as he quickly went back to the cliff and looked down, and to his dismay, no one was down there...his heart practically shattered, as he remembered the leopard seal and how it was chasing them...and how Claire let go of him to save him. It tore him apart...in sheer grief, the penguin let out a heartbroken scream as he began cursing, "DAMN YOU, GREAT GUIN! DAMN YOU TO FUCKIN' HELL!" He spent the next few minutes doing so, till his throat was sore, and knowing that it wouldn't bring his love back, he merely turned around and began walking...

So, for over the next couple days, he had spent walking in the barren snowy wasteland, as his heart and the scar on his left eye was hurting, and to maintain his sanity, he began singing...

(**Broken by Seether and Amy Lee from Evanscence)**

_"I wanted you to know, I loved the way you laugh...I want to hold you high, and steal your pain away..."_

The next day, he sang another song...

**(Powerless by Linkin Park)**

_"You held it all, you were careless to let it fall, you held it all, and I was by your side...powerless."_

Same for the next day...

**(All or Nothing by Theory of a Deadman)**

_"It's all or nothing, babe, it's you and I, I thought I am good for something, so let's go give it a try..."_

As well as the day after that...

**(Last to Know by Three Days Grace)**

_"You were the first to say, that we were not okay...you were the first to lie, that we were not alright..."_

Then on the last day, on the brink of starvation, as he began struggling against a blizzard, he sang quietly...

**(Lost in the Echo by Linkin Park)**

_"And these promises broken...deep below...each word gets lost...in...the...echo..."_

He fell to the ground as he gave up, as all he wanted now was to be with the penguin he had fallen in love with since they were kids, and if he had to die for it, so be it...

A feminine voice called out to him, "Hello..."

This prompted his heart to jolt, as he was in total blackness, "Claire? Is that you?" he whispered, as he tried to open his eyes,

But then it surprised him when he heard a masculine tone, "Damn it, Vasquez, why are we wasting our time on a dead weight?"

With that, Auron opened his eyes, only to find himself being stared down by another Emperor Penguin and a King Penguin, he could easily tell which one was male and female, "Who are you two?" he whispered.

"The better question is, who are you?" The male penguin asked, "Me and Vasquez found you just lying here as if you were dead, all covered in snow."

"Cloud..." The female supposedly named Vasquez scolded, "It is obvious that something bad must had happened, why else would he had been in the damn storm?"

The male scoffed, "Come on, you know how the boss feels about talking to nobodies, if he finds us chatting it up with some random penguin, he will blow his top!"

"I don't care!" Vasquez said, as she then looked at Auron, "What is your name?"

Auron merely sighed, "Auron..."

"Auron, eh? What brought you out here?" Cloud asked, a little curious.

"Nothing important...now if you excuse me, I'll be on my way." Auron muttered as he got up, but when he did, he merely fell down.

"Whoa, where you think you're going?" Cloud demanded.

"Nowhere...absolutely nowhere." Auron snarled, as he tried to get back up.

"Nowhere? What, did your grandma die?" Cloud sarcastically quipped.

This pissed Auron off, as he screamed, "MY TO-BE MATE IS DEAD! PROBABLY IN THE BELLY OF THE DAMN SEAL THAT ATE HER! NOW LEAVE ME TO DIE IN PEACE, OK?!"

This surprised both Cloud and Vasquez as Auron panted, as the female tried to soothe him, "Take it easy, you looked like you haven't eaten for days." Then she gave a stern look to Cloud, "We need to get him something to eat, maybe our boss would be willing to spare a few fish..."

"No way! The fish is only reserved for the White Ones! Not some random guy we found in the snow..." Cloud sneered.

"Dammit..." Vasquez said, as she knew that Cloud was right for the most part, but then she asked Auron, who had gotten back up, "Hey, Auron, can you sing?"

"What? What kind of question is that?" Auron asked in a suspicious tone.

"Just answer the pretty lady's question." Cloud quipped as he was busy scuffling the snow at his feet.

Still angry at the male penguin, he merely answered, "Yes. A damn good one. What's it to you?"

"Well, my friend." Cloud answered instead of Vasquez, who he interrupted, "We are part of a group known as the White Ones, a band of the greatest singers in our nations, not to mention the pride of it. And it just so happens that we are looking for new members. What do ya say?"

"Pass, I rather die." Auron moped, as he turned away.

"Come on, Auron, I don't know what happen, but I refuse to see you throw your life away." Vasquez pleaded, "Do you think that Claire would want that?"

The male emperor penguin with the scar frozed, as he turned around and was about to ask how she knew her, when Cloud answered, "You were moaning her name. You sound very whining for an adult."

This prompted a death glare from Auron as he stared at him with hate, when Cloud continued, "But, Vasquez is right, it would be awful to see a good talent go to his grave. I'm sure Boss would like you."

The male was about to rebut when he started thinking. He had nothing else to live for, but it was his music that kept him alive thus far. Maybe this was the great guin telling him that his fate was to be one of them.

So, with a determined look, he then said, "Okay, you twisted my flipper, when can I meet him?"

This was a end of a tragic orchestra, and the beginning of an infamous ballad...

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**A/N: Damn, a one-shot written out in one day. Well, MyWayWriter and judges, what do ya think? Auron is the OC I want to see in your story, he is an emperor penguin, about as old as Cloud and Vasquez. His name was based off Final Fantasy's own Auron. As you can see, after a tragic attack involving his to-be mate, Auron wandered the wastelands, wanting to die, and he eventually met the two penguins mentioned above. His choice of music is usually that of rock and pop, and his heartsong is Lips of an Angel. The one thing that makes him unique is a scar across his left eye, much like Auron from Final Fantasy X. I was hoping that in the story, he and the White Ones would come to Emperor Land (I think this story takes place a few years earlier), challenge Age and Judas (His choice of music would be Lost in the Echo during the sing/dance off), but he would eventually meet Ramone as he tells his story to him, and Ramone would try to convince him about finding another mate. At first Auron refuses, but it changes when he meets another Emperor Penguin that reminds him so much of Claire...All I wish is a good ending for this tragic character (Cloud and Vasquez, they are up to you). P.S. I apologize for the cursing and stuff, I was just try to give this story a little emotional spice. HOPE YOU ENJOY!**


	2. One Song

**Happy Feet**

_**'One Song'**_

**by Shen's General**

**A/N: Hey there, guys, under the advice of KevinBlu, I am doing a more elaborate story to my 'Ballad of Auron' story, hoping to give a bit more backstory into Auron if possible, so judges...enjoy...**

**I do not own Happy Feet.**

**I do not own the songs within this story.**

* * *

One Song

Within the far arctic reaches of Antarctica, there were many colonies of Emperor Penguins as they lived their lives the way they usually do, a chick is born, they are taught the art of heartsong as they try to discover their own, when they are of age, they sing that heartsong as they try to find the one who heartsong was in sync with theirs. When they do, they mate, and thus the cycle of life repeats. This story that I am about to tell will be no different.

The tale of whom it concern is that of a young emperor penguin known as Auron. He was hatched to a couple, his father being one of their nation's elders, and his mother, one of the nation's nurses. The young penguin was brought up like any other penguins were; however, there was something very special about this young boy. Normally, a penguin had a preference for songs that their voice was capable of achieving, but not Auron, as he was born with a voice that was able to reach any tone, may it be a song that of sheer emotion (or as the 'aliens' would call, 'rock') or simply a mild tune (that 'aliens' call 'country'). This talent did not go unnoticed as many elders and adults alike would believe that he would lead their nation as one of the greatest singers in all of penguin nation.

However, that did not interest Auron at all, as he merely wanted to enjoy life, and all its' songs, which many penguins would plainly say is finding your heartsong, perfecting it, and when mating season came, find the lucky guy or gal whose song synchronized with your the greatest.

As for Auron, the first step began one day at penguin school, as he was amongst a group of penguin chicks much like him, as the teacher in front of them cleared her throat and said, "Good morning, class, here today, we are going to learn the most important and vital part in every penguin's life. Does anyone know what that may be?"

This prompted a few penguins to start answering, one answered, 'fishing', another said, 'diving', but then a young voice said, "Your heartsong?"

This prompted Auron, who was just about to answer that, to look to his right, as he saw a penguin, much like himself, except female. Auron instantly recognized her as Claire, daughter of another elder, who happens to be a friend of his father. When he first met her, he was (somehow) immediately infatuated with the young female, but as his father had taught him, you never want to show your feelings till you can show it in song.

"Exactly, Claire, dear, the most vital part is the heartsong of a penguin, as it is what connects you to the potential love of your life." The teacher explained.

This confused a few penguins, and the teacher, feeling awkward, cleared her throat once more, "Well, today, you will find that heartsong, all you got to do, is to take a _deep_ breath, and think _real _hard...and it should come to you in a matter of minutes, let's start with you." She pointed to a chick in front of her.

The chick was a bit fidgety, but gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and thought for a few minutes, as she began to sing in an upbeat tone,

_"So raise your glasses if you are wrong in all the right ways, all my underdogs,"_

_"We will never be anything but loud and nitty gritty, dirty little freaks,"_

_"Won't you come on and come on, raise your glass, just come on and come on, raise your glass!"_

The chick finished with a pose prompting a few claps.

"Well done...how about you, dear?" The teacher pointed to a male next to Auron.

The boy took a deep breath like the girl before him, and then he sang

_"The sun goes down, the stars come out, all that counts is here and now, my universe, will never be the same, I'm glad you came, I'm glad you came."_

The process went like this for the next few minutes as the teacher pick another penguin to let out a part of his or her heartsong, and soon, it was Claire that was picked to sing.

"Okay, Claire, dearie, how about your song?"

The young female smirked as she knew exactly what she was going to sing, as she took a deep breath and sang with a voice that dumbfounded Auron,

_"I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time, know there was something that, something that I left behind,"_

_"When I leave this world, I'll leave no regrets; leave something to remember so they won't forget."_

_"I was here. I lived, I loved. I was here..."_

However Claire stops, as she meekly said, "That is all I figured out for the most part."

"_Most part?_" Auron thought, as he was awe-inspired by the female's voice.

"That's quite alright; we all have to take a little time to master our song...how about you, Auron?"

The male penguin was snapped out of his thought as he stammered, "Oh...well, ok."

So, as all the young penguins before him, he took a deep breath and thought to the pit of his stomach as to what his heart wanted to sing...and it came to him...

_"I'm not a perfect person, there's many things I wish I didn't do,"_

_"But I continue learning, I never meant to do those things to you, and so, I have to say before I go,"_

_"That I just want you to know, I've found a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start over anew, and the reason is you..."_

Just as Claire's music had awestruck Auron, his song had astonished Claire, as everyone began clapping.

"Well done, Auron, your parents would be proud!" The teacher complimented.

"I doubt that it was _that _good." Auron blushed while rubbing his head.

"Oh, you are being too modest. Anyway, I recommend that all of you practice your heartsong a lot, since it is a very important part of a penguin's life. Class is dismissed." The teacher declared as all the chicks went their separate ways, well, except Auron and Claire.

Auron was about to head off, when Claire said, "I love your song..."

The male chick turned to her and merely blushed, "Really? Like I said, I didn't think it was that good."

"Well, I just want to say that I cannot wait to hear all of it. See you later." Claire smiled as she went off, leaving Auron by himself.

Auron was surprised that she had actually liked his song, and unbeknownst to him, he was starting to fall for the girl, as he then made a oath to himself, to see to it that he mastered…no, perfected his heartsong for her, even if it takes him days, months, years…

So thus began the second step in his life, to turn a tidbit of his heartsong into one of the greatest music ever orchestrated. Starting that day, he always spent all of his free time into practicing that song. As the years passed by, Auron began growing from a little chick into a young adult emperor penguin and a handsome one at that…

As all teenagers typically did, he began to take slight notice of the females around him but even then it didn't deter him. You can say that was one of his best qualities that his mother once quipped 'came from his father's side', the fact that he was a perfectionist when it came to singing, but she knew that someone was motivating him, namely, a girl.

Claire herself had grown a lot much like Auron, as she grown into a beautiful emperor penguin, and like Auron, she had been practicing her song day in and day out as well, although not far as Auron did, but still, she was working hard…

Time passed by, and before you can say 'fish', it was mating season, as every new adult penguins were now spreading out, letting out their heartsong to find a mate to spend the rest of their life with.

It was a momentous day, especially for two penguins that had spent most of their life preparing for this moment and now…it all came down to the intertwining of two heartsongs, as Claire, now a full-grown and attractive female emperor penguin, began her song…

_"I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time, know there was something that, something that I left behind"_

_"When I leave this world, I'll leave no regrets; leave something to remember so they won't forget."_

_"I was here. I lived, I loved."_

_"I was here, I did, I've done, everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would be."_

_"I will leave my mark, soul, everyone will know...I was here."_

Everyone began to stare in awe, Claire's voice had indeed improved over the years, and the song...it was beautiful, to say the least. But there was more...unbeknownst to the female emperor penguin, her song had attracted a certain male penguin...

_"I wanna say I lived each day, until I died..."_

_"You know that I, been something in, somebody's life."_

_"The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leave that I made a difference, and this world will see..."_

_"I was here, I lived, I loved."_

_"I was here, I did, I've done everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would be."_

_"I will leave my mark, soul, everyone will know...I was here."_

Before Claire could continued, another voice had ranged out throughout the area...

_"I'm not a perfect person, there's many things I wish I didn't do,"_

"Auron? Is that you?" Claire asked, as she looked around, but then the song continued...

_"But I continue learning, I never meant to do those things to you, and so, I have to say before I go,"_

"Auron! Where are you?" Claire yelled out, as she looked around, then she heard it,

_"That I just want you to know..."_

except it was louder than before as Claire looked behind her to find Auron, atop a hill, with a grin of pride and happiness, as he then continued while moving towards the beautiful emperor penguin with stride...

_"I've found a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start anew, and the reason is you..."_

Claire was speechless as she listened to the male penguin's powerful voice, as Auron gave her a smirk, as he sang...

_"I'm sorry that I hurt you, it's something I must live with everyday,"_

_"And all the pain I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away, and be the one who catches all your tears..."_

_"That's why I need you to hear...I've found a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start anew..."_

Then Auron then took a deep exhale as he sang the most powerful notes that any penguin could sing,

"And the reason is **you**!"

Auron started to close the gap between him and Claire...

_"And the reason is_ _**you**__!"_

Claire's eyes began to tear up from how passionate Auron was being in his singing...

_"And the reason is __**you**__!"_

Soon, Auron and Claire were now face to face with each other...

_"And the reason is __**you**__..."_

As he stop singing momentarily, Auron placed one flipper on Claire's waist, and took her other flipper in his own, as he kept eye contact with the one he was deeply in love with, and in that moment, Claire and Auron look at each other with those eyes, and it was without a doubt that the Great Guin himself had made them destined to be together. So to seal the deal (for now...), Auron gave Claire a powerful penguin kiss, prompting cheers from everyone, theirs beak remain together for a few minutes. When their beaks parted, the two penguins gave a smirk as Auron began again...

_"I'm not a perfect person, I never meant to do those things to you, and so I have to say before I go..."_

Then the two penguins began moving in step together, as they began to waltz, as they sang together...

_"That I just want you to know, I've found a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start anew, and the reason is you..."_

_"I've found a reason to show, a side of me you didn't know, a reason for all that I do...and the reason is you..."_

Auron finished it by twirling his love around and then swung her low and gave her another powerful kiss...prompting a bunch of more cheers and whoops, as everyone began to crowd around the two penguins. The two nuzzled for a moment as they headed off through the crowd to somewhere only they know... (**See what I did there?**)

Since they were to become mates, Auron would want to find a place where they could actually...let's say 'be very close' in private, so they went out into the ocean (their nation was near the shoreline, a terrific and vital location for food and water) and went to one of the glaciers just a few miles off the coast. There, the two lovebirds were now resting, as Auron was leaned against the wall with Claire's head on his chest.

"I got to say, that was one of the most beautiful songs I had ever had the joy to ever hear." Claire complimented, as she let out a content sigh.

"Well, I spent all my years trying to make it perfect for you..." Auron blushed.

"Really?" Claire asked with a raised brow, "You didn't have to..."

"I know, but I had to," Auron said, "Trust me, I don't regret one minute I spent working on it...especially if it meant having you in my arms."

The female emperor penguin teared up from the words, as she then smiled, "Auron..."

"Besides, the others were already captivated by your angel-like voice...not to mention good looks." Auron finished with a wink.

"Auron..." Claire blushed, as she gave his chest a playful nudge, "So...where do we go from here?"

"Well...I have a pretty good idea..." Auron said with a mischevious smirk as he nuzzled her. Claire returned it, as they then started to kiss.

The kiss eventually became heated as Auron was now on top her, as he nibbled her neck affectionately, as Claire buried her beak into the croon of the male's neck letting out quiet yet loving moans. Then after another strong and loving kiss, the female emperor penguin gave her to-be mate a seductive and devious smile as she then gave him a slight nudge as she (with a wink) slipped off into the waters.

"So a chase, is it?" Auron asked himself with a smile, "Damn...how I love that woman." as he then followed her into the deep blue...

Claire was busy weaving through waters as she looked behind her to see her fiance was following. Sure, she felt a little guilty for stopping in the middle of a passionate moment, but she once heard from her friends that it makes the mating session even more...better, as they would say. However, when she didn't see him, she was slightly confused...until a black blur then grabbed her and pushed her against the bottom of another iceberg. Claire opened her eyes to be greeted with her to-be mate Auron, as he then said (although garbled by the water), "Gotcha..." as in his adrenaline, he began kissing her once more.

The female closed her eyes again, as she prepare to give her body to the male in front of her, as she moaned, "Auron...oh, please don't stop...Auron..." She opened her eyes as Auron began pecking her neck again, only to stop in horror as she saw something...

"Claire? What's wrong?" Aurona asked, as he noticed her not reacting to his affection, as he then looked where she was looking, as his heart froze from what he saw...

A few minutes from them, a leopard seal was approaching, and unfortunately, the two lovebirds were in it's warpath.

"Don't make a move...I heard that these brutes can only see through movements..." Auron said through gritted beak. Unfortunately, he was proven wrong when the leopard seal then charged at them.

"Oh shit!" Auron shouted as the couple then darted away from their spot, as the seal smashed into the iceberg. The two penguins were neck and neck as they tried to put as much distance between themselves and the monster that recovered from his daze as he closing in on them quick. But, soon, they were coming to the dead end, which was a side of a small cliff.

"Oh, Guin, it's a dead end! We're going to be killed!" Claire cried.

"Not in this lifetime, we're not!" Auron said in determination, "We going to have to jump!"

So, as they had learned when they were kids, the two penguins swooped low to the ground, as they prepare to jump...

"One...Two...THREE!" The male counted down as both Auron and Claire sped upwards through the surface as they flew momentarily to the top of the cliff. Auron managed to make it...but Claire only made it halfway, as she began to slip back down.

"AURON!" Claire screamed.

"CLAIRE, NO!" Auron screeched back, as he jumped for his fiance's flippers and gripped them tightly. The leopard seal that was chasing them then bursted out of the cold waters as it snapped at them, but it didn't reach them.

But luck was not smiling in their favors, as Auron began slipping with Claire down the slope of the cliff...

Claire looked with fear as she saw how dire the situation had become, and regretfully, she knew that her end was near, "Auron...love, you have to let go...you can't save both of us..." She said, as tears began dropping from her eyes

"NO! I CAN! JUST HOLD ON!" Auron ordered, as he tried to stifle the tears that were forming in his eyes. The seal then burst out of the water again, except he was getting real close to the hanging couple.

"Auron..." Claire said with a teary smile, "I can't drag you down with me..."

"NO! WE'RE MATES, GUIN DAMN IT! I WON'T LET YOU GO!" Auron screamed, as tears streamed down his beak, as he started growing desperate.

"Auron...I love you..." Claire whispered, as she let go of her fiance's flippers as she fell back into the sea...

"CLAIRE! NOOOOOOO!" Auron bellowed as he started sobbing, "OH GUIN NO!"

Then, the leopard seal, with all it's strength, bulleted his way upwards, as he then smashed the cliff, blowing Auron back. As the shards of ice flew everywhere, one of them sliced through Auron's left eye (**much like FFX's Auron**) as the emperor penguin was knocked unconscious...

It was only a few hours later, when Auron woke up, as his eyes were bleary. As he got up, he grabbed his head, as it was now pounding, then he winced as he felt the newly-made scar. But that pain immediately reminded him of his fiance, as he quickly stumbled to the remnants of the cliff...

"CLAIRE!" Auron screeched as he looked around, "Claire? Claire..."

However, he saw nothing but the slow crashing waves of the sea...In that moment, Auron immediately remembered how they were chased by that seal...how they tried to escape...how Claire let go of him to save him...His heart shattered, as he realized that his mate was now gone...forever lost to him for all eternity...

In sheer grief, Auron let out a powerful heartbroken screech, "NO!" as he began sobbing, "NO! NO! She can't be...She can't be dead..." Then he began cursing, as his sorrow started to turn into anger, as he screamed out to the sky again, "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU GUIN! DAMN YOU TO FUCKIN' HELL!" as he broke down into tears once more...

For the next hour or so, he let out tears of sorrow at that cliff...it was all an unfair game to him...it was only but a while ago that him and Claire were singing their hearts out to the ones they love...all that work Auron had put into perfecting his song...all for her...all of it...for naught.

The scarred penguin managed to stop crying (either that or he had ran out of tears to cry), as he merely got up and turned his back to the sea. The penguin had no idea where he was, he got so disarrayed from running for his life and losing his mate, that he had no recollection of where he was...so, with heavy pain in his heart, as well as burning from his scarred eye, he walked into white unknown...not caring where it would take him...

As the young emperor penguin walked through the barren wasteland, for how long, he had lost count, but without any food, water, or hope...all he had left was his sanity...but as soon as he felt it slipping away, he began singing, thinking that there would at least be a use for his voice.

_"I wanted you to know, I loved the way you laugh...I want to hold you high, and steal your pain away..."_

For the next day, he sang another song...

_"You held it all, you were careless to let it fall, you held it all, and I was by your side...powerless."_

Then another one for the next day...

_"It's all or nothing, babe, it's you and I, I thought I am good for something, so let's go give it a try..."_

As well as the day after that...

_"You were the first to say, that we were not okay...you were the first to lie, that we were not alright..."_

Finally, he was on the near brink of starvation and thirst, as he was in the middle of nowhere, and to add insult to injury, he was struggling through a blizzard...knowing that he was sitting on death's door, he began to sing one last song...

_"And these promises broken...deep below...each word gets lost...in...the...echo..."_

With those last words, he lost the last of his strength, as he fell to the ground. His eyes starting to close, his heart began to slow down to a halt. All he wants now is to have the love of his life in his arms...and if he had to die for it...so be it...

So with that, Auron was overtaken by darkness...he laid there, waiting...as he waited to be reunited with his mate...then he heard a voice...

"Hello..." A feminine voice echoed in his mind...

"Claire...is that you?" Auron whispered, as his throat was sore and dry...

However, he was answered with a masculine voice, and a gruff one at that, "Damn it, Vasquez, it's obvious he's dead!"

With that, Auron's eyes began to open, but he was surprised that instead of seeing his dead mate, he saw two penguins looking over him, a Emperor and a King Penguin, and judging from their stature, male and female, respectively.

Then the male said, "What do ya know? He lives..."

"Who are you?" Auron asked, as he tried to get up.

"The better question is...who are you? Me and Vasquez here found you here, covered in snow. For a second there, I thought you were dead."

"Cloud..." The female King Penguin (the one Auron assumed was Vasquez) scolded, "It's obvious that he've been through hell. It wouldn't hurt for you to be understanding."

"Understanding are for the weak. Besides, you know how the boss is when it comes to talking to random penguins, if he finds out, he will lose it!" Cloud shuddered, as Auron wondered who this 'boss' was.

"Come on, Cloud, he needs help!" Vasquez pleaded, as she turned to Auron, "What's your name?"

At first, Auron was apphrensive on telling them, but given how the female had a caring dismeanor about her, much like Claire, he merely answered, "Auron..."

"Auron, eh? May I ask what brings you out here?" Cloud asked, a bit intrigued.

The scarred emperor penguin merely sighed, "Nothing...just me and my lonesome self," as he tried to get up, but the pain in his stomach prevent him from doing so.

"Whoa, Auron, take it easy...you looked like feather and bones...we need to get you something to eat..." Vasquez said with concern, as she then gave a stern look to Cloud, "We gotta get something in him...maybe the boss will be willing to spare a few fishes?"

"No way!" Cloud refused, "That fish is reserved only for the White Ones, not some random guin in the snow!"

"Dammit..." Vasquez cursed, as she knew that her comrade was right, but then an idea popped into her head, not a good idea she hates to admit, but it was something, "Hey, can you sing, Auron?" she asked the male penguin, as he got back up.

"What kind of question is that?" Auron asked, as he gripped his stomach again in pain.

"Just answer the pretty lady's question." Cloud quipped as he was busy scuffling the snow at his feet.

Slightly annoyed at Cloud's rudeness, he answered, "Yes...why you ask?"

""Well, my friend." Cloud answered instead of Vasquez, who he interrupted, "We are part of a group known as the White Ones, a band of the greatest singers in our nation, not to mention the pride of it. And it just so happens that we are looking for new members. What do ya say? Food, fame, and maybe a gal or two?" Cloud asked with a bit of a smug smirk.

"I don't know..." Auron said with uncertainty.

"Come on, Auron, I don't know what happen, but I refuse to see you throw your life away." Vasquez pleaded.

Auron wasn't sure what to say, as he looked at Vasquez, who was giving him pleading eyes, as if she didn't want him to refuse.

He could understand why; if he was to refuse, he would eventually perish from starvation, he was surprised to have even made it this far without any food. But he thought of what would be the point...he already lost everything that was good with his life...what would he have to gain?

"Vasquez's right, it would be awful to see a good talent go to his grave. I'm sure Boss would like you." Cloud said, as he gave him a reassuring smirk.

The scarred penguin didn't know if he was sincere with that smile, but then he was thinking...Claire wouldn't had wanted him to throw his life away because of what happen, she would want him to be happy...besides, he had been training his voice for a long time, and maybe...maybe the Great Guin had some great plan for him still...he had no idea what it would be, but he was willing to give it a try.

"Okay, count me in..." Auron said with determination, as he was about to change his song, from a tragic orchestra to a ballad of a greater purpose...

* * *

**A/N: Okay, how's this for a remake? Much longer and better in my opinion. Again, this story was about a Emperor Penguin named Auron, who is slightly older than Cloud and Vasquez. He lost his mate when trying to escape a leopard seal, and wandered the wastelands in sheer grief (and because he was lost), where he meets Cloud and Vasquez. Since the lost of his mate, he isn't one to get attached, and the sole reason he sticks with them is because he wanted to find a reason to live again (other than singing). He oftens questions Cloud and the boss's methods especially when it comes to doing something immoral, thus leading to butting heads between Cloud and Auron. He acts as the voice of reason and like Vasquez, he takes orders only from the boss. What I would like to see for Auron within the story to be with someone in the end of the next fic, I was thinking that he would be the one Vasquez falls in love with and that the two would leave the White Ones in the end, just a thought. Well, I leave it to you honorable judges to decide whether he is worthy now of being in your fic and hope this is a major improvement over the old fic. Auron and Claire's singing scene was based off Mumble's parent singing scene in the first Happy Feet. READ AND REVIEW!**

**The songs that were in this fic are the following:**

_**Raise Your Glass - Pink**_

_**Glad You Came - The Wanted**_

_**I Was Here - Beyoncé**_

_**The Reason - Hoobastank**_

_**Broken - Seether feat Amy Lee from Evanscence**_

_**Powerless & Lost In The Echo - Linkin Park**_

_**All or Nothing - Theory of a Deadman**_

_**Last to Know - Three Days Grace**_


End file.
